1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-clinching fasteners that provide for a secure mounting location for common cable ties.
2. Background-Description of Related Art
Manufacturers of industrial machines quite often make use of wire harnesses to distribute electrical power to various locations within a machine. It is common to run bundles of wire along a sheet metal panel in order to distribute the bundles of wires. These bundles are often anchored to a sheet panel in discrete locations to prevent the wires from coming in contact with harmful elements.
A common approach to anchoring these wire bundles to a panel makes use of a plastic molded cable mount with an adhesive backing. Examples of an adhesive backed cable tie mount are manufactured by the Panduit Corporation, catalogue E-CC-10, page 8 1996. The Panduit adhesive mount series are simply applied to a sheet panel via the adhesive backing on the cable tie mount itself. This provides for an anchor point for a cable tie.
Another common approach to anchoring these wire bundles to a panel makes use of a cable mount that is screwed to a panel. Examples of a screwed mount are also manufactured by the Panduit Corporation, catalogue E-CC-10, page 8. The Panduit screw mount is simply fastened to a panel with the use of a common screw. Upon fastening the mount to a panel, a cable tie is then used to secure the wire bundle to the sheet panel.
A self-clinching approach could make use of U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,175 issued to G R Winton, III. The Winton patent makes use of a right-angle attachment point that provides a round through hole. This hole, having a round cross section, could be used to receive a cable tie and thus anchor a wire bundle along a sheet panel.
Another self-clinching right-angle bracket was disclosed by Penn Engineering and Manufacturing Corporation in Bulletin No. RA997. The Penn fastener can also be used as an anchor and thus provide an anchor point for a cable tie by allowing a cable tie to pass through the fastener's hole; the hole having a round cross section.
The disadvantage of the Panduit adhesive mount is its tendency to dislodge itself over time from the sheet panel. The adhesive backing quite often fails when too much load is placed on the adhesive mount. Also, the final placement of the adhesive backed mount on a panel is quite often inconsistent due to the installation process of simply laying the adhesive mount on a sheet panel.
The disadvantage of the Panduit screw mount is the excess labor required to provide for a threaded hole in a sheet panel in preparation for a screw that is needed for holding the screw mount in position.
The disadvantage of the Winton patent is the round through hole itself. The round through hole is intended to receive a screw and thus is not designed to accept a cable tie with a mostly rectangular cross section. Furthermore, because of the round hole, the Winton patent results in a taller overall profile than that needed for a cable tie with a rectangular cross section.
The disadvantage of the Penn Engineering & Manufacturing fastener RA997 is also the mostly round through hole itself. It is intended to receive a screw and thus is not designed to accept a rectangular cable tie with a mostly rectangular cross section. Furthermore, the round hole on the Penn fastener results in a taller overall profile than that needed for a cable tie with a rectangular cross section.